PUEBLO, Colo. – The No. 21 ranked Regis University volleyball team (9-4, 9-2 RMAC) competed in a three-team pod with the No. 5 ranked Colorado School of Mines Orediggers (8-2, 8-2 RMAC) and the Colorado State University – Pueblo ThunderWolves (9-3, 7-2 RMAC) on Saturday afternoon. In the first match, Regis took down No. 5 Mines in five sets but in the second match, the ThunderWolves beat the Rangers in four sets.
 
GAME ONE, 3-2 | #21 Regis University Rangers vs. #5 Colorado School of Mines Orediggers
How It Happened: The opening set was a seesaw, back-and-forth, affair that ended with Mines taking the set 25-18. Regis only scored on eight of their attacks in the first set, committing two attack errors (.214 H%) and two service errors. The Orediggers scored 19 of their 25 points with kills (.452 H%), adding an ace and one block.
 
The second also went in favor of Mines, despite a late comeback attempt from the Rangers. After falling behind by six, 11-17, RU fought back to bring it within two points, 18-20. This forced a timeout from the designated home team. Again, the Orediggers jumped out in front, 23-18, but Regis brought it back to 23-24 just a few moments later. Despite the comeback, Mines scored their 25^th point of the set to take a two-set lead. In the 23-25 second set defeat, the Rangers were out hit .128 to .146.  
 
In the third set, RU opened the set by scoring the first five points to take a 5-0 lead. This was met with a 13-3 run from the Orediggers who took a 13-8 lead. The strong Regis team never gave up in set three and they fought their way back with their backs against the wall. Trailing 11-16, a kill from senior Caitlyn Burroway sparked an 8-0 scoring run from the Rangers, giving them an 18-16 lead. Then, with the score 22-20 in favor of the RU, a kill from sophomore Ayala Plummer, followed by a service ace from senior Sophie Griese and an attack error from Mines, Regis won the set 25-20.
 
Set four was the closest set of the afternoon, extending past the 25- point winning tally. The score was tied at 19 apiece late in the match, and then again at 20, 21, and 22. A service error, and then a big kill from freshman Halle Theis put RU at set point, 24-22. The Orediggers tied the set at 24, and then sophomore Mara LeGrand had a kill from a dump shot to give RU a one-point lead. Mines tied it once again at 25 and then again at 26. At that point LeGrand found Burroway and junior Rachel Siurek for back-to-back kills which claimed the set for Regis and tied the match at two sets apiece.
 
Coming back from two sets down, the Rangers held all the momentum heading into the fifth and final set. RU took their first lead of set four on a kill from Theis, 4-3. Mines responded and went up 5-4 a couple points later. Tied at six points, a service ace from sophomore Maddie Uyemura and a kill from Burroway gave Regis a two-point lead, 8-6. Once again, the Orediggers tied it at eight. Burroway and Siurek scored on two straight attacks and then LeGrand aced her serve to give the Rangers the lead, 11-8 in a race to 15 points. Three-straight points from Mines tied the game at 11. With the set tied at 12, Siurek pounded her attack off the floor for a lead. Then RU forced two attack errors from Mines, earning the set, 15-12, and match, 3-2, win in five sets.
 
Game Notes: Siurek set a career-high with 19 kills (.295 H%) in the match, earning 20.5 points with three block assists. Burroway tallied 17 kills and 13 digs for a double-double, and LeGrand captured her sixth double-double of the season with 49 assists and 15 digs, chipping in with four kills and three service aces. Sophomore Haley Kennedy played well with 23 digs, a service ace, and a career-high nine assists. As a team, Regis hit .219 overall while their opponents hit .257. The Rangers tallied seven total blocks with freshman Maddy Mallory accounting for a team-high five block assists, and Theis adding four.
 
GAME TWO, 2-3 | #21 Regis University Rangers vs. Colorado State University – Pueblo ThunderWolves
How It Happened: The second part of the day featured a rematch against CSU Pueblo from earlier this season. In the first meeting the ThunderWolves prevailed, 3-2.
 
The first two sets were split between both teams with CSU Pueblo taking set one, 25-21, and Regis tying it up with a set two win, 25-20. The third set was another win for the ThunderWolves, 25-20, as the Rangers posted a .109 hitting percentage after hitting .171 in the first set and .294 in set two.
 
The fourth set was another close battle between the two teams. Trailing 15-16, Siurek tooled her shot off a CSU Pueblo defender which tied the game at 16. RU took the lead, 19-18 a few points later as an attack error from the home team and a kill from Plummer put them in front. A couple plays later a service ace by redshirt-sophomore Hannah Kennedy gave Regis a 21-19 lead which forced a timeout from the ThunderWolves. Out of the timeout the home team scored six of the final seven points to steal the fourth set 25-22, and the match, three sets to one.
 
Game Notes: Three Rangers finished with 10+ kills led by Siurek who tallied 14 with a .345 hitting percentage. Next on the list was Burroway who had 13 kills (.143 H%) and then Plummer with 11 kills and a team-high .474 attack percentage. LeGrand (42 assists, 13 digs) and Burroway (13 kills, 17 digs) each had their second double-double of the day. Haley Kennedy added 15 digs, Plummer led the way with three blocks and the team hit a combined .185 in the match which was better than CSU Pueblo's .146 hitting percentage. The difference in the game were the 15 service errors from RU, as they were free points for their opponents in a close matchup.  
 
Up Next for the Rangers: The 21^st-ranked Regis University volleyball team will return to the Regis Field House for a match with the Colorado Christian University Cougars this Tuesday, March 23 for a match at 6 p.m.